Electricity consumption is increasing five times faster than production in Morocco

The figures appear in the Ministry of Economy and Finance’s August 2026 Economic Report No. 354, published on August 31 by the Directorate of Financial Studies and Forecasts (DEPF).

Between January and June, electricity consumption increased by 8.4% year on year, following a 15% rise during the same period in 2025. National production, meanwhile, grew by only 1.6%, compared with 5.8% a year earlier.

Consumption therefore increased 5.25 times faster than national production. The situation nevertheless improved in the second quarter, with production rising by 4%.

This gap comes as Morocco already imports a significant share of its electricity from Spain. In 2025, these deliveries represented the equivalent of approximately 8% of Moroccan electricity demand.

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The trend intensified in 2026. By the end of June, the volume of electricity imported by Morocco had surged by 34.6% year on year, compared with an increase of 20.2% a year earlier.

At the same time, the quantities exported by the Kingdom fell by 41.5%. Foreign trade is therefore clearly shifting toward greater imports at a time when domestic demand is rising much faster than production.

Renewables increase by 21.1%

Not all sources of production are struggling, however. Renewable electricity produced under Law 13-09 increased by 21.1% in the first half of the year.

The contribution of national third parties even surged by 227.9%, while private production increased by only 0.9%.

This acceleration comes as Morocco could reach its target of 52% renewable energy in its installed electricity capacity earlier than expected. This proportion nevertheless concerns installed capacity, not the share actually produced or consumed.

The Kingdom is also investing in new solar and wind power plants, storage and grid reinforcement to support demand that is expected to continue growing with industrialization and the electrification of new uses.

Morocco and France are also studying a direct electricity link under the Mediterranean, which would provide a new option for importing or exporting electricity without passing through Spain.

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For now, Spain remains the main electrical gateway between Morocco and Europe. Two submarine interconnections already link the two countries across the Strait of Gibraltar, with a combined capacity of 1,400 megawatts.

The first-half figures thus sum up the challenge: despite the strong growth of renewables, demand is still rising much faster than production. By the end of June, this gap had resulted in a 34.6% increase in imports and a 41.5% drop in electricity exports.